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Bong who?

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Photo courtesy of  www.sriamanro.sarawak.gov.my

Or how Sri Aman in Sarawak got its name…

It’s now Anwar Ibrahim’s turn to call on the government to allow the former Communist Party of Malaya leader, Chin Peng, to return home.

In the raging controversy over whether Chin Peng should be allowed to return home, few in the peninsula are aware of the peace treaty signed in 1973 in Simanggang, Sarawak between the then state chief minister, Abdul Rahman Yaakub, and Bong Kee Chok, the director and commissar of Partai Rakyat Kalimantan Utara (Paraku), which was linked to Tentara Nasional Kalimantan Utara (TNKU) and the Sarawak Communist Organisation (SCO). That led to  several hundred communists laying down their arms and subsequently returning to society.

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A vaccine for “women’s cancer”?

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Photo by a concerned Penangite

A concerned Penangite spotted this banner at a private clinic along Burma Road, openly advertising a vaccine against “women’s cancer”. She called up the clinic and was told the vaccine would be delivered in three doses over a six-month period, RM250 each dose, total RM750. The vaccine is Gardasil (supposed to be a cervical cancer vaccine) and girls as young as nine could receive the vaccine, said the person at the other end of the line.

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Farish Noor speaks on the Pas general assembly

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Penang gov’t right in revamping ferry service

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The Penang government’s decision to take over the ferry service is a good move especially given the poor performance of Penang Port in running the service.

Penang Port could have done better. It’s a pity that it was unable or unwilling to revamp and expand the ferry service (including introducing new routes) for reasons best known to itself. There was no reason for such a poor service, evidence of which could be seen in the long queues of motorists on the island heading to the mainland at night.  There was no shortage of demand, and yet the  service was largely neglected.

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Evictions: Penang Bishop’s office issues statement

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Rev Michael Thoo has released a press state statement from the office of the Penang Bishop. Here is the statement in full:

In response to recent and current newspaper reports on the “eviction exercise” of’ 14 houses within the grounds of the Church of St. Francis Xavier, Penang Road, 10000 Georgetown, Penang the church wishes to clarify as follows:

– There are 14 semi-concrete pre-war houses within the grounds of the Church of St. Francis, Penang Road, George Town, Penang. The houses are old and have no architectural value.

– Other buildings on the land are the St Joseph’s Home for orphans and children from broken homes, the Learning Centre for children with learning disabilities and the “Lighthouse” which provides free food for the needy and school buildings. These social welfare and charitable organisations are run and/or supported by the church.

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Evictions controversy: Penang Bishop responds

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Citizen journalists Jimmy Leow and Lilian Chan have managed to get the Penang Bishop’s views on the controversy over the eviction letters issued to villagers residing on the church’s land at St Francis Xavier’s Church along Penang Road.

Just a few quick observations arising from the Bishop’s comments:

It doesn’t look as if the Church has carried out a proper survey of the affected households to establish the residents’ socio-economic status or needs before they were issued eviction letters. The question is, why the urgency to issue lawyer’s letters and evict the residents before carrying out such a survey of their needs, especially those of the senior citizens? Shouldn’t the process have involved extensive consultations with the affected residents, the setting up of arbitration panels and the soliciting of views from lay Catholics – rather than a top-down approach of resorting to lawyer’s letters?

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High noon at Penang’s ‘High Chaparral’

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Five more days.

That’s the remaining time the residents of Kampong Buah Pala in Gelugor have, following a Court of Appeal decision on 11 May giving them 30 days to vacate their homes.

The village, known as High Chaparral because of its history of cattle rearing, is at the centre of a controversial land dispute with luxury apartment developers.

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Nasharudin retains No. 2 but Nizar bags 85% of votes

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Nasharudin has retained the Pas deputy presidency. He collected 480 votes, Husam Musa polled 281 while Mat Sabu won 261.

It looks as if the “progressive” or modernist votes have been split between Husam and Mat Sabu, who together collected 541 votes (54 per cent of votes cast) compared to Nasharudin’s 480 votes.

In comparison, Nizar easily topped the contest for committee positions with 85 per cent of the votes.

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Voting underway in Pas elections

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Face to face: Mat Sabu (left) with Nasharudin – Photo courtesy of Harakah Daily

Husam Musa - Photo courtesy of husammusa.com
Husam Musa - Photo courtesy of husammusa.com

Polling for the Pas party elections is now underway as 1,044 delegates cast their ballots. The party elections committee is expected to announce all the official results tomorrow morning.

[poll id=”38″]

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Fate of 64 arrested on 7 May still uncertain

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The scene outside the Ipoh police station this morning – Photos by Jong

1021: The police have told those arrested that they will have to wait longer to find out their fate.

“They told us that investigations have not yet been completed,” says blogger Zorro, one of those arrested who had gone to the police station in Ipoh. “Why didn’t they tell us that last night?”

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